A Swellegant Affair: Celebrating Dean Clark Ross

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Fans of Vice-President of Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty Clark G. Ross gathered Wednesday for a Clarkapalooza of a reception to honor his tenure in the dean’s chair these last 15 fine years.

Heartfelt remarks were shared to great good applause all around, and gentle, loving fun was poked at the inimitable idosyncracies of Clarkness. Cole Barton, the C. Louise Nelson Professor and Chair of Psychology, even shared an ode to deck-shoed socklessness à la Clark, written especially for the occasion. President Quillen marveled at how beloved Clark Ross has remained, even in the face of the “no” answers he’s doubtless had to give to almost everyone in that room at some point in the last decade and a half.

Then Clark himself sauntered to the podium, hands in pockets. He told stories on himself and his own mentors and colleagues across campus—Ratliff, Zimmerman, Nelson, Spencer, Williams, Kuykendall. He tipped his figurative hat to students through the years, now alumni. And then he brought it all back to four pillars of Davidson that he sees as solid as the pillars of Chambers itself: faith, reason, honor, service.

“Those four things have never really changed,” he said. “The people have changed, and the manifestations have changed, and will change, and need to. But the underlying faith, reason, honor and service remain.”

Standing O.

Cheers, our friend! We’re glad you’ll be with us in the economics department for many years to come!